Fighting hedgehogs and a solution!

I have had two hedgehogs feeding in my garden since spring. Both at different times and each approaching the food from a different location. I had never thought of hedgehogs fighting. Before I could film this aggression by one hedgehog onto another, I missed filming the most aggressive behaviour! I was too busy watching it! I was shocked to be honest. The slightly larger one was the more aggressive. Whilst feeding the second one appeared and went towards the food. The larger one grabbed it by the spines near its head and violently shook it from side to side like a dog with a rag doll. It did this for a few minutes, released it and returned to feeding dish.

Is weather affecting prey items/food availability?

The other one must have been hungry and tried to approach the food again. The weather had been very hot and dry, for quite a few days now, possibly limiting the range of food and prey items for both of them, hence them both coming when it was not very dark. They were both hungry. 

According to Reeve, hot and dry weather affects the availability of many soft bodies prey items such as earthworms, slugs caterpillars and leather jackets, all of which contains moderate amounts of energy, they are slow moving and easily digestible. Earthworms are more than nine times more energy dense than other prey items. However during dry conditions they are less available on the dry surface of the soil.

As far as hedgehogs are concerned a high energy food resource at one location is better for them than having to forage for meagre resources scattered over a wider area.

The aggressive one charged at it put its snout underneath its body and tried to push it over and continued pushing underneath it towards the pond. I was shocked. The attacked hedgehog rolled down the pond bank and the aggressor felt satisfied and walked back to the food. The attacked one then walked around the pond, through the wildflower meadow, behind the gabion and sat there as shown below.

Hedgehog waits its turn to feed

Then it moved towards the food again after several minutes. The larger one was busy feeding. Being solitary animals and not part of a group, with home ranges that may overlap, the attacker was not trying to show dominance over the other hedgehog.

The next night one came before the other and fed in peace. It must have been the lesser one because the aggressive one came through the meadow and must have made some noise as the feeder broke off and when to the safety of the one to drink.

It looks to me that during the dry weather, both hedgehogs left their summer nest earlier than usual, even in the daylight as evening approached to feed. I also noted that after some heavy rain recently, both appeared much later and separately. Probably they found prey items on the now moist soil as they slowly made their way to the food dishes.

Solution?

The solution for me was to scatter small items of food in the garden along their known entrance routes and pathways, which delayed their time and also to put two dishes out in two different areas. See the warning below regarding feeding too many mealworms.

Both of them use the Hedgehog Highways I made in the garden. You can even buy Hedgehog Highway signs! Although I doubt the hedgehogs will be able to read them!

Concrete Gravel Boards are barriers to hedgehogs

According to Hedgehog Street hedgehogs can travel about one mile every night in search of food and a mate. “We now know that one of the main reasons why hedgehogs are declining in Britain is because our fences and walls are becoming more and more secure, reducing the amount of land available to them.”

See my other hedgehog films.

3 hedgehogs feeding together in my wildlife garden

Hedgehog enters garden using a Hedgehog Highway then walks the plank!

Do hedgehog highways work? 

Hedgehogs need Hedgehogs Highways and Homes. National Hedgehog Survey.

BTO GardenBirdWatchers find hedgehogs active in December 2016

Further information and resources

Hedgehogs by Nigel Reeves- Poyser 1994

What to feed hedgehogs and the danger of too many mealworms 

Ten tips for encouraging hedgehogs

British Hedgehog Preservation Society  offers help and advice for sick, injured or orphaned hedgehogs

State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2018 Report 

BTO Research “UK Hedgehog Datasets and their potential for long-term monitoring”